Paterson says flooding is now a 'real priority'

The Government has insisted tackling flooding is a "real priority" as communities around the country struggled with yet more bad weather.

Roads were closed and train services cancelled or delayed in some areas in the face of the latest storms, causing disruption for many people returning to work after the Christmas holidays.

Forecasters are warning that coastal areas could see more flooding as the heavy rain and gusts of wind continue to batter Britain.

Three severe flood warnings – the highest level of warning indicating danger to life and property – have been issued by the Environment Agency in England, for Preston Beach, Chiswell and the Lower Stour in Dorset.

More than 100 flood warnings are also in place across the country, and communities in Dorset, Oxfordshire, south Wiltshire, Hampshire and along the river Thames are being urged to remain prepared for more flooding tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Seven people have died and more than 1,700 homes and businesses have been flooded in England since the beginning of the Christmas period, with 300 properties flooded since the New Year. Some 140 properties have been flooded in Wales.

High winds over Christmas also left 250,000 homes without power, with some families waiting days for the electricity to be restored.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said the Government was working closely with local councils, the insurance industry and others, to ensure that people could quickly get the help they need.

Some areas of the country were now focused on recovery after storms and flooding over the Christmas and New Year period, while others remained at significant risk of floods, he told the Commons.

Mr Paterson admitted that a few energy network companies could have been quicker at restoring power to thousands of homes affected by the storms and floods over Christmas.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey would be meeting with regulator Ofgem and the Distribution Network Operators to see how improvements could be made in the future, Mr Paterson said.

He also said the response from some agencies in helping people whose homes had been affected by the severe weather had been "patchy" and was "well worth investigating".

He told MPs: "Flood management is a real priority for this Government. It has a vital role to play in protecting people and property."